8th Oct 2014 06:51
LONDON (Alliance News) - Fastjet PLC Wednesday said the operational issues experienced in its Tanzanian business have been resolved and it expects normal service to resume on Thursday.
The low-cost Africa-focused carrier said a combination of bird strikes and maintenance delays resulted in a number of its jets being delayed or cancelled. The group said its jets experienced a total of four bird strikes within two weeks, with two large birds colliding with the nose cone of an aircraft and two hitting the aircraft engine fan blades.
The company said it looked into leasing an aircraft to offset the reduction in its fleet, but was unable to secure something suitable within the period.
The company said the cancellations and delays have had a minimal impact on its passenger numbers and financial results.
"Going forward, we are working with the relevant authorities to improve the management of the Mwanza airfield and surrounding areas to reduce the likelihood of bird strikes in the future," said Ed Winter, Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chairman of fastjet.
"Also, as we execute our plan to add more aircraft to the fleet, we would expect similar circumstances to have a smaller impact on operations," Winter added.
By Sam Unsted; [email protected]; @SamUAtAlliance
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